ACSM CEP flashcards

32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

Age risk factor thresholds

In ACSM risk stratification, men aged 45 years or older and women aged 55 years or older each carry one positive cardiovascular risk factor, regardless of symptoms.

HDL 60 mg/dL protective factor

A high-density lipoprotein cholesterol level of 60 mg/dL or greater counts as a negative risk factor. Subtract one from the total risk-factor count during stratification.

Metabolic syndrome diagnostic criteria

Requires at least three of: elevated waist circumference, triglycerides ≥150 mg/dL, HDL below 40 mg/dL in men or 50 mg/dL in women, blood pressure ≥130/85 mmHg, and fasting glucose ≥100 mg/dL.

High-risk stratification criteria

A client is high risk when there is known cardiovascular, pulmonary, or metabolic disease, or when signs and symptoms of these diseases are present, regardless of the risk-factor count.

Absolute contraindications to exercise testing

Include acute myocardial infarction within two days, unstable angina, uncontrolled symptomatic arrhythmia, decompensated heart failure, acute myocarditis or pericarditis, suspected dissecting aneurysm, and acute pulmonary embolism.

ST-segment test termination criterion

Horizontal or downsloping ST-segment depression greater than 2 millimeters, or ST-segment elevation of 1 millimeter or more, is an absolute indication to stop exercise testing.

Blood pressure test termination criteria

Stop a test if systolic pressure exceeds 250 mmHg or diastolic exceeds 115 mmHg. A systolic drop greater than 10 mmHg from baseline despite increasing workload is also an absolute stop.

Chronotropic incompetence definition

Failure to achieve at least 80 percent of age-predicted maximal heart rate, or inability to use at least 62 percent of heart rate reserve, at peak exercise effort.

One MET equivalent

One metabolic equivalent equals 3.5 milliliters of oxygen per kilogram per minute, or roughly 1 kilocalorie per kilogram per hour, and is used to express workload and functional capacity.

Bruce protocol stage one

The first Bruce stage lasts three minutes at 1.7 mph and a 10 percent grade, approximately 5 METs. Each subsequent stage increases both speed and grade every three minutes.

Karvonen target heart rate formula

Target heart rate equals (heart rate reserve multiplied by the intensity fraction) plus resting heart rate, where heart rate reserve is maximal heart rate minus resting heart rate.

Aerobic exercise volume target

Accumulate 150 minutes per week of moderate or 75 minutes per week of vigorous aerobic activity, or an equivalent combination, totaling roughly 500 to 1000 MET-minutes weekly.

Resistance training prescription parameters

Perform resistance exercise two to three days weekly: eight to ten exercises for major muscle groups, one to three sets of eight to twelve repetitions at 60 to 70 percent of one-repetition maximum.

Flexibility training prescription

Stretch at least two to three days per week, holding static stretches for 10 to 30 seconds with two to four repetitions per muscle group, to the point of tightness.

Exercise progression rule

Advance training gradually by modifying one FITT variable at a time, commonly adding five to ten minutes of duration every one to two weeks during the improvement stage.

MET-based caloric expenditure formula

Kilocalories per minute equal metabolic equivalents multiplied by 3.5 and by body weight in kilograms, divided by 200. This converts workload into energy cost.

Warm-up and cool-down duration

Devote five to ten minutes to a warm-up of light aerobic activity and dynamic movement, and five to ten minutes to a cool-down that maintains venous return and limits post-exercise hypotension.

Three stages of progression

The initial stage lasts four to six weeks at low intensity and builds adherence; the improvement stage lasts four to five months with faster gains; maintenance begins around six months.

Exercise with diabetes precautions

Check glucose before and after sessions, avoid late-evening exercise, inspect feet and wear proper footwear, and keep a fast-acting carbohydrate source available to treat hypoglycemia.

Valsalva maneuver avoidance

Clients with hypertension or cardiovascular disease should exhale during the exertion phase and avoid breath-holding, which produces abrupt blood pressure surges and may provoke arrhythmias.

Cardiac rehabilitation phases

Phase I is inpatient monitoring, Phase II is outpatient exercise with ECG monitoring commonly delivered over about 36 sessions, and Phases III and IV are long-term maintenance programs.

Transtheoretical model stages

Precontemplation, contemplation, preparation, action, and maintenance. Assessment determines the current stage, and interventions are matched to that stage rather than applied uniformly.

Self-efficacy definition

A person's confidence in their capability to execute a specific behavior successfully. It predicts exercise adoption and adherence and is built mainly through mastery experiences.

Motivational interviewing OARS

Four core communication skills: open-ended questions, affirmations, reflections, and summaries. Together they build collaboration and evoke the client's own reasons for change.

SMART goal criteria

Goals should be Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-bound. Short-term SMART goals generate early success that strengthens self-efficacy for longer-term targets.

Decisional balance

The process of weighing perceived benefits against perceived costs of changing a behavior. It is most useful for clients in contemplation who are ambivalent about starting exercise.

Health belief model constructs

Perceived susceptibility, perceived severity, perceived benefits, perceived barriers, self-efficacy, and cues to action jointly predict whether a person adopts a recommended health behavior.

AED access time standard

An emergency action plan should allow retrieval and application of an automated external defibrillator anywhere in the facility within three to five minutes, with trained responders and regular drills.

ACSM-CEP scope of practice

The certified exercise physiologist may perform assessments and prescribe and supervise exercise for healthy and clinically cleared populations, but may not diagnose disease or prescribe medical treatment.

Negligence four elements

A negligence claim requires duty of care, breach of that duty, causation linking the breach to harm, and demonstrable damages. Documented adherence to the standard of care is the primary defense.

SOAP note format

A documentation structure of Subjective, Objective, Assessment, and Plan. Entries are written contemporaneously, kept confidential, and never altered retroactively.

Exertional heat stroke signs

Core temperature typically above 40 degrees Celsius with central nervous system dysfunction such as confusion or collapse. It is life-threatening and requires immediate cooling and emergency medical services.